Introduced Version






HOUSE BILL No. 1305

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DIGEST OF INTRODUCED BILL



Citations Affected: IC 20-26-17.

Synopsis: Farm to school plan. Requires the department of education to develop a "farm to school" plan for the purpose of providing children with locally produced foods in school breakfast, lunch, and snack programs.

Effective: July 1, 2011.





Friend




    January 13, 2011, read first time and referred to Committee on Education.







Introduced

First Regular Session 117th General Assembly (2011)


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HOUSE BILL No. 1305



    A BILL FOR AN ACT to amend the Indiana Code concerning education.

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Indiana:

SOURCE: IC 20-26-17; (11)IN1305.1.1. -->     SECTION 1. IC 20-26-17 IS ADDED TO THE INDIANA CODE AS A NEW CHAPTER TO READ AS FOLLOWS [EFFECTIVE JULY 1, 2011]:
     Chapter 17. Farm to School Plan
    Sec. 1. As used in this chapter, "farm to school plan" refers to a plan developed under this chapter to connect schools with local farms.
    Sec. 2. The department, in conjunction with the state board, shall develop a farm to school plan to connect schools with local farms to provide children with locally produced fresh fruits and vegetables, dairy products, and other nutritious, locally produced foods for school breakfast, lunch, and snack programs. The purposes of the farm to school plan are to help children develop healthy eating habits, provide nutritional and agricultural education, and improve farmers' direct access to markets.
    Sec. 3. The farm to school plan developed under this chapter must include the following:
        (1) Promotion of farm to school programs and ways to encourage schools, as part of farm to school programs, to purchase food produced in Indiana and to provide nutritional and agricultural education, including farm visits, cooking demonstrations, and composting and gardening at schools.
        (2) Identification of impediments to providing locally produced fresh fruits and vegetables, dairy products, and other nutritious, locally produced foods in school breakfast, lunch, and snack programs, and methods to reduce or eliminate those impediments.
        (3) Promotion of communication between local farmers and schools and of sales of food from local farmers to schools.
        (4) Training and technical assistance for school food service personnel and managers, farmers, and food distributors and processors concerning farm to school programs and food safety and procurement.
        (5) Promotion of farm to school programs through a public education campaign.
        (6) Posting of information concerning farm to school programs on the department's Internet web site.
        (7) The fiscal impact of each component of the farm to school plan, if any.
In determining whether a component has a fiscal impact under subdivision (7), consideration shall be given to whether the component will increase costs to the state or a school corporation or require the state or school corporation to reallocate resources.
    Sec. 4. (a) For any component of the farm to school plan that has a fiscal impact, as determined under section 3 of this chapter, the state superintendent shall present the component to the general assembly:
        (1) for consideration of the component; and
        (2) to determine the amount of any appropriation in the state budget for the fiscal years beginning in 2013 and 2014 that is necessary to carry out the farm to school plan.
    (b) To the extent a component of the farm to school plan does not have a fiscal impact, that component of the farm to school plan may be implemented after the state board holds a public hearing at which there is full public discussion and review by the state board.
    Sec. 5. The state board shall adopt rules under IC 4-22-2 to implement this chapter.